The University of Ilorin community stood still on Monday as academics, students, community leaders and distinguished guests gathered at the University Auditorium to pay glowing tributes to the institution’s ninth Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, OON, whose death on June 6, 2026, has left a deep void in the university and beyond.
The Special Senate Session, marked by prayers, heartfelt testimonies and emotional reflections, celebrated a man many speakers described as a humble scholar, visionary administrator, community builder and patriot whose influence continues to shape the University of Ilorin years after leaving office.
Leading the tributes, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, SAN, described Ambali’s death as the painful visitation of an “unwanted visitor” that had thrown the university into mourning.
While acknowledging the sadness occasioned by the loss, Egbewole reminded the gathering that the late professor lived a life of purpose and fulfilled his mission on earth.
He recounted how Ambali’s administration between 2012 and 2017 strengthened staff and student welfare, expanded academic programmes, digitised the university library, improved infrastructure, enhanced technological development and promoted religious harmony on campus.
According to him, Ambali inherited an intellectual palace and handed over a castle of knowledge, leaving behind footprints that would remain visible for generations.
He also disclosed that the university would immortalise the late administrator through a strategic monument on campus.
Representing the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), the National President, Alhaji Abdulmumini Ayo Abdulmalik, described Ambali as one of the finest sons of the Ilorin Emirate.
He noted that the late professor brought honour not only to the University of Ilorin but also to the Emirate through his distinguished service and exemplary leadership.
The union commended his contributions to education and public service, including his role as Chairman of the Governing Council of Kwara State University, Malete, and appealed to the university to immortalise him through the naming of a structure in his honour while continuing to support his family.
The students also had their voice heard through the President of the Students’ Union, Comrade Adelu Idris Ayomo, who described Ambali as a leader whose legacy remains visible in the structures, systems and values that continue to define the University of Ilorin.
He observed that many students currently benefiting from the university’s stable academic culture and infrastructure may never have met Ambali personally, yet they continue to enjoy the fruits of his leadership.
According to him, the late Vice-Chancellor represented excellence, discipline, integrity and selfless service, qualities he urged students to emulate.
One of the most memorable moments of the event came during the tribute delivered by former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Raheem Adebayo Lawal, who provided fascinating personal insights into the character of the late administrator.
Lawal described Ambali as a calm and thoughtful leader whose veterinary training shaped his patience and methodical approach to issues.
He recalled an incident when Ambali, while on official duty abroad, received a false report that the university campus was engulfed in flames. The worried Vice-Chancellor reportedly demanded evidence before he was eventually convinced that the situation was under control.
Lawal also narrated another dramatic episode that drew smiles across the auditorium. According to him, while Ambali was in China, he received information that the university’s lions had escaped from the zoo and were heading towards Tanke.
Alarmed, he immediately contacted Lawal, who rushed to the zoo only to discover that both lions were peacefully asleep after feeding.
To reassure the Vice-Chancellor, he was instructed to wake the animals. The female lion growled while the male lion roared, convincing Ambali that the animals were indeed safe within their enclosure.
Beyond the lighter moments, Lawal shared deeply spiritual reflections about Ambali’s final days, including an occasion when the late professor listened intently to a sermon on the transient nature of power and honour.
He also recounted a visit to the university zoo during which Ambali delivered an impromptu lesson on the anatomy of a giraffe, explaining how its unusually long neck required a powerful heart to pump blood effectively.
For Lawal, the lesson became a powerful example of divine design and remains a teaching illustration he continues to share with his students years later.
Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Nike Yetunde Ijaiya, also painted a picture of a leader who was simple, approachable and deeply trusting of those who worked with him.
She recalled serving under Ambali and witnessing firsthand his consultative style of leadership, which she said promoted peace and stability across the campus.
She credited his administration with strengthening academic standards, securing programme accreditations, expanding infrastructure and successfully navigating challenging policy reforms.
Perhaps most importantly, she noted that Ambali empowered his subordinates and gave them confidence to carry out their responsibilities without fear.
As speaker after speaker mounted the podium, a common picture emerged of a man who combined intellectual brilliance with humility, authority with compassion and leadership with service.
To some, he was a mentor and administrator. To others, he was a trusted colleague, community ambassador and friend. Yet for all who gathered to honour him, he was a leader whose legacy transcended his years in office.
By the end of the ceremony, there was a shared sense that while death had taken Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali away from the university he served passionately, it could not erase the impact he made.
His name remains firmly etched in the history of the University of Ilorin, not merely as a former Vice-Chancellor, but as one of the architects of its growth and enduring reputation.
As prayers were offered for the repose of his soul and comfort for his family, colleagues and admirers, the gathering reflected on a life well lived and a legacy firmly secured.
In death, as in life, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali remained a source of inspiration, reminding all who knew him that true greatness is measured not by titles held, but by lives touched and values left behind.
